Safety gate



ug'- 29, 1957 R. A. sr-:Rws 3,338,299

SAFETY GATE Filed Oct. 2l, 1965 A I S? z'card Servi ATTORNE //I l v BY United States Patent Ollice 3,338,290 Patented Aug. 29, 1967 3,338,290 SAFETY GATE Richard A. Servis, Martin Road, P.0. Box 71, Waquoit, Mass. 02536 Filed Oct. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 499,830 8 Claims. (Cl. 160-238) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A- one-piece, flexible gate integrally molded from plastic material, and having integrally molded hinge elements on one vertical side edge and integrally molded latch elements on the other vertical -side edge. The hinge elements on the gate are connected with screw eyes secured to one side of a gate-way, and the latch elements are adapted to be connected by a latch rod with screw eyes mounted on the other side of the gate-way. The gate is preferably designed so that it will roll up automatically when the latch elements are released.

This invention relates generally to safety gates of the type customarily used to temporarily close a gateway against the passage of a small child. More particularly, it relates to a one-piece flexible safety gate designed so that a child cannot be pinched or similarly injured while climbing or playing thereon, and so that it can be rolled out of the way against one side of the gateway when not in use.

Safety gates of the present type are frequently employed in the home at the doorway to certain rooms, at the foot or head of a stairway, or in a hallway for the purpose of temporarily preventing the passage of a small child. A safety gate for this purpose should be easily installable in a gateway, should be readily collapsible when not in use, and should be designed so that a child cannot be injured when climbing on or playing with the gate. In addition, the gate should be designed so that it can be easily and securely latched in a closed position.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a one-piece exible gate made of plastic or the like, and which can be readily installed within a gateway and latched in a closed position to prevent the passage of a child.

Another object is to provide a collapsible safety gate designed with no moving elements, so that achild climbing on or playing with the gate cannot pinch himself or be similarly injured.

A further object is to provide a one-piece flexible safety gate constructed so that it can be rolled up against one side of the gateway when not in use, where-by to provide a substantially unobstructed gateway opening.

Still another object is to provide a flexible, one-piece safety gate which will automatically roll up when released from a latched position.

Yet another object is to provide a flexible safety gate incorporating integrally formed hinge and latch elements, and which can be easily and economically manufactured.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing the one-piece flexible safety gate of the invention installed within a gateway and latched in a closed position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. l, but showing the llexible, one-piece safety gate of the invention rolled up against one side of the gateway;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, horizontal sectional View taken along the line 3--3 in FIG. 2, showing in particular the securing strap for holding the gate in its rolled con-dition; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the securing strap.

The safety gate of the invention can be constructed in different sizes to lit gateways of various dimensions, and such gateways can comprise the door of a room, a hall- Way, the head or foot of a stairway, or any other structure defining a passageway. While the present safety gate is designed primarily for temporarily closing a gateway against the passage of small children, it is to be understood that it can be employed equally Well to temporarily prevent the pasage of adults, or even certain animals. The ultimate dimensions for the safety gate will be determined by the use for which it is intended and the location where it will be installed, and hence it is to be understood that the proportions shown in the drawings can be varied without departing from the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the safety gate of the invention is indicated generally at 2, and is mounted between a pair of vertical upright members 4 and 6 which extend upwardly from a lioor 8 and which define a gateway therebetween. The vertical upright members 4 and 6 can be the opposite jambs of a doorway, the opposite walls of a hallway, a pair of posts, or any other vertical structural members which define a gateway.

The safety gate 2 is of sheet-like construction and is preferably molded integrally from a suitable flexible plastic to have a uniform thickness of about A6 of an inch. The gate 2 includes a rectangular frame, comprising top and bottom strips 10 and 12, a front strip 14, and a rear or base strip 16. Midway the height of the gate a horizontal strip 18 connects the strips 14 and 16, and divides the gate into upper and lower rectangular frame portions. The upper and lower frame portions formed by the strips 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 contain open latticework, formed by criss-cross strips 20 and 22 which extend oppositely at about a l5-degree angle to the horizontal. The strips 10-22 are all formed integrally to provide a one-piece gate, and the openings 24 defined by the criss-cross strips 20 and 22 allow a child to see through the gate and provide for air circulation. By having the criss-cross strips 20 and 22 extend generally at a 4S-degree angle to the horizontal, it makes it more diflicult for a child to use the openings 24 to climb the gate than would be the case if the strips 20 and 22 ran horizontally and vertically.

Formed integrally with the rear, or base, strip 16 is a pair of vertically spaced hinge elements 26, each of which comprises an eyelet-like projection lying in the plane of the strips 10-22 and extending outwardly from the vertical edge 28 on the strip 16. The projecting hinge elements 26 have Ibores 30 therethrough, and have conventional screw eyes 32 mounted therein. The screw eyes 32 included horizontally disposed loop portions 34, and threaded portions 36 which are screwed into the upright member 6. Thus, the hinge elements 26 and the horizontally-disposed loop portions 34 of the screw eyes 32 function to permanently hingedly mount the safety gate 2 on the upright member 6, whereby the gate 2 when unlatched can be swung between open an-d closed positions.

The safety gate 2 is easily installed'on the upright member 6, merely by installing the screw eyes 32 in the proper positions. Should the material of the upright member 6 be such that screws cannot be driven thereinto, it is to be understood that the horizontally-disposed loop portions 34 can be secured to the member 6 by other means. For example, the loop portions 34 can be welded to plate members, which can then be secured to the mem-ber 6 by glue or the like.

Extending outwardly from the Vertical front edge 38 of the strip 14 are three vertically spaced, horizontally 3 disposed eyelets 40 each having a vertical bore 42 extending therethrough. Like the hinge elements 26, the eyelets 40 are molded integrally with the strips 10-22, to provide a one-piece gate. One of the eyelets 40 is positioned near the upper end of the strip 14, another is positioned near the lower end of said strip, and the third is positioned about midway along the height of said strip. The eyelets 40 are arranged to cooperate with three screw eyes 44, threaded into the upright member 4.

The screw eyes 44 include horizontally disposed loop portions 46, and are spaced vertically so -that when the gate 2 is in a closed position one of the eyelets 40 will rest upon the loop portion 46 of each of said screw eyes 44, with the openings 42 in register with the vertical bores through the loop portions 46. The gate 2 is latched in closed position by a latch rod 48, which terminates at its upper end in a loop handle 50. A short distance below the handle Stl the latch rod 48 has a washer 52 welded thereon, which rests on the uppermost eyelet 40 when the latch rod 48 is inserted through the bores 42 and the loop portions 46 to latch the safety gate 2 in a closed position.

In the event the upright member 4 will not accept screws, it is to be understood that, like the loops 34, the loop portions 46 can be otherwise mounted on said member 4.

The one-piece, flexible plastic safety gate 2 is easily collapsed out of the way when not in use merely by rolling the same, from the vertical edge 38 toward the vertical edge 28. The safety gate 2 is shown in its rolled condition in FIGS. 2 and 3, wherein it is seen that when it is thus rolled the gateway is substantially unobstructed.

The safety gate 2 is preferably constructed so that it will automatically roll up when the latch rod 48 is remove-d. This can be done by molding the plastic gate 2 with a permanent set which will urge it to roll to the desired extent, or if desired one or more spring wire coils can be embedded therein to provide a rolling force to the gate.

To ensure that the gate 2 will remain in a rolled condition when not in use, and to guard against children playing therewith, a securing strap 54 is provided. The strap 54 is elongated and has a circular bore 56 through each end thereof. The bores 56 are preferably aligned on the longitudinal axis of the strap 54, and a slot 58 extends outwardly from each bore 56 toward its associated end of the strap. The slots 58 extend along the longitudinal axis of the strap 54, and it is thus seen that 4the opposite ends of said strap are identical and fully reversible.

The front face of the safety ga-te 2, as shown in the drawings, has a stud 60 formed thereon about midway of the height of the base strip 16. The stud 60 includes a shaft portion 62 having. a diameter slightly less than the width of the slots 58, and a head portion 64 having a diameter larger than the width of the slots 58, but smaller than the diameter of the bores 56. One end of the strap 54 is normally hung on the stud 60 while the gate 2 is in use, whereby said strap is readily available when it is desired to utilize the same.

After the ilexible safety gate 2 has been rolled up, the strap 54 -is passed therearound, and both ends of the strap are then mounted on the stud 60. Thus, the safety gate 2 is firmly secured in its collapsed, -or rolled, condition.

It is readily seen that a safety gate has been provided which meets all of the objects set forth hereinabove, and which includes no joints or moving elements by which a child might be injured. Further, the gate can be easily installed, is easily latched in a closed position, and when not in use is designed so that it can be rolled up and secured out of the way against one side of the gateway.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore t-o be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

I claim:

1. A safety gate assembly, comprising: a pair of spaced, vertically disposed members defining a gateway therebetween; a exible, generally rectangular, integrally molded one-piece gate made of plastic material and including a pair of vertical side edges; spaced hinge elements integrally molded on one vertical side edge of said gate; means lon one of said vertical members and engaged with said integrally molded hinge elements for hingedly mounting said gate on said one vertical member; at least a pair of horizontally disposed, vertically spaced eyelets integrally molded on the other vertical side edge of said gate; eyelet means on the other of said vertical members, and arranged to be registerable with said horizontally disposed eyelets When said gate is in a position to close said gateway; and a latch rod receivable through said horizontally disposed eyelets and said eyelet means when such are in register to detachably latch said gate in said closed position, said gate when unlatched being rollable from said other vertical side edge toward said one vertical side edge thereof.

2. A safety gate assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said gate comprises a generally rec-tangular unitary frame defining at least one generally rectangular opening, and open latticework formed integrally with said frame and extending across said opening.

3. A safety gate assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said hinge elements comprise vertically ydisposed eyelets, and said means on said one vertical member comprises horizontally disposed screw eyes engaged with said vertically disposed eyelets.

4. A safe-ty gate assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein an eyelet means is asociated with each horizontally disposed eyelet, `and wherein said eyelets and said eyelet means are arranged so that when said gate is in latching position each eyelet is dis-posed to rest upon its associated eyelet means.

5. A safety gate assembly as reci-ted in claim 1, including additionally a strap mounted near said one vertical edge of said gate and arranged to detachably secure sid gate in a rolled position.

6. A safety gate assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said gate is constructed of resilient material so that when unlatched it will automatically roll up, from said other vertical edge to said one vertical edge thereof.

7. A safety gate for mounting between a pair of spaced, vertically disposed members, one of said members having vertically spaced hinge elements thereon and the other having thereon vertically spaced, horizontally disposed eyelet means, said gate comprising: a generally rectangular, integrally molded one-piece flexible member made of plastic and rollable from one vertical edge to the other vertical edge thereof, said member having a plurality of openings therethrough; spaced hinge elements integrally molded on said other vertical edge of said gate and engaged with the mating hinge elements on an associated vertical member hingedly mounting said gate thereon; and vertically spaced, horizontally disposed eyelets integrally molded on said one vertical edge of said gate and registerable with the eyelet means on an Iassociated vertical member for receiving a latch rod, said gate being constructed of resilient material so that it will automatically roll up when said one vertical edge thereof is unlatched and free.

8. A safety gate as recited in claim 7, including additionally: a stud on one face of said gate near said other vertical edge thereof, said stud including a body having an enlarged head thereon; and a strap having an enlarged hole through each end thereof for receiving said stud head, and an elongated narrow slot extending outwardly from each hole and of a width to receive the body of said stud, one end of said strap being normally engaged References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1912 Campbell 49-34 7/1935 Capaido 13S-36 X Renton 160-238 X Denovan 160-328 Iaber 160-238 X Csney 160-328 X Fisher et al. 160--41 DAVID I. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Examiner.

D. L. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner. 

7. A SAFETY GATE FOR MOUNTING BETWEEN A PAIR OF SPACED, VERTICALLY DISPOSED MEMBERS, ONE OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING VERTICALLY SPACED HINGE ELEMENTS THEREON AND THE OTHER HAVING THEREON VERTICALLY SPACED, HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED EYELETS MEANS, SAID GATE COMPRISING: A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR, INTEGRALLY MOLDED ONE-PIECE FLEXIBLE MEMBER MADE OF PLASTIC AND ROLLABLE FROM ONE VERTICAL EDGE TO THE OTHER VERTICAL EDGE THEREOF, SAID MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS THERETHROUGH; SPACED HINGE ELEMENTS INTEGRALLY MOLDED ON SAID OTHER VERTICAL EDGE OF SAID GATE AND ENGAGED WITH THE MATING HINGE ELEMENTS ON AN ASSOCIATED VERTICAL MEMBER HINGEDLY MOUNTING SAID GATE THEREON; AND VERTICALLY SPACED, HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED EYELETS INTEGRALLY MOLDED ON SAID ONE VERTICAL EDGE OF SAID GATE AND REGISTERABLE WITH THE EYELET MEANS ON AN ASSOCIATED VERTICAL MEMBER FOR RECEIVING A LATCH ROD, SAID GATE BEING CONSTRUCTED OF RESILIENT MATERIAL SO THAT IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY ROLL UP WHEN SAID ONE VERTICAL EDGE THEREOF IS UNLATCHED AND FREE. 